Several products are available that allow for grass to grow as simulated hair on a figurine. Several patents have also been issued to allow for the growing of grass or other plant types on or from a figurine. However, these products require frequent manual watering to keep the plant life alive.
Figurines of animals or heads have been sold under the trademark of CHIA PET sold by Joseph Enterprises, Inc. These figurines consist of a hollow clay body in the shape of an animal or other shape. The clay body is filled with water and a paste consisting of a bonding agent and seeds that is spread over some or all of the figurine that later grows to appear as hair on the clay body. While this product provides the cosmetic appearance of hair being grown on a figurine, the product base is made from a ceramic material that is not self-watering. When the reservoir is filled with water, the water leeches out through the ceramic head to keep the seeds moist. The water level can not be visually determined, and a user must spread the seeds over the top of the product.
Weiner U.S. Pat. No. 6,298,599 discloses a sculptured head and torso where the head can receive a plant with leaves where the leaves provide the appearance of hair. The plant(s) are placed within the head, and any excess water applied can drip through the head sculpture and be collected within the base of the sculpture for disposal. While this product provides the cosmetic appearance of hair being grown on a figurine, the product is made from multiple pieces of ceramic material that is not self-watering. Excess water must be removed and discarded. A potted plant or an unpotted plant can be placed into the top of the sculptured head, but there is no provision for the ceramic head to support seeds or other plant life from growing on or within the head. The water level also can not be visually determined from viewing the outside of the sculptured head.
Manoah U.S. Pat. No. 5,549,500 discloses an animal figurine made from saw dust placed within a netting material. Seeds are placed within the bottom or scalp portion of the netting material and then saw dust is added into the netting. The entire assembly is then watered to allow the seeds to grow. This product provides a ball of saw dust that the seeds grow from. The sawdust ball provides minimal shape, and any features must be added to the sawdust ball as a secondary operation. Excessive water can wash past the head or be collected in a dish where the ball is placed. While the dish provides for a collection of water or water to be provided to the sawdust ball, the amount of water available is limited to the water stored in a dish and cannot be drawn from a reservoir.
What is needed is a simple preformed figurine shape that provides self-watering where the water can be drawn through a wick from a reservoir, and the amount of water in the reservoir can be easily seen. The proposed invention satisfies these needs by providing a coir-based figurine with retained plant seeds and a watering wick.